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Every New Ride Coming to Amusement Parks in 2017

In 2017, the roller coasters you’ve come to experience are going to be wildly different. Soon, park goers will be able to skim across the water on a jet ski, drop through the core of a massive volcano, or simultaneously travel upside down and under the sea, all while on board a ride. Even old favorites, like wooden coasters, waterpark rehabs, and virtual reality enhancements, will be popping up in parks throughout America, breathing new life into old formats and wowing guests with new technology.

With so many parks, rides, lands and coasters unveiling themselves next year, you’ll have so much to look forward to besides sticking to those newfound resolutions. We many not know what 2017 will bring, but thrills are definitely guaranteed.

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Busch Gardens

Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

Williamsburg, Virginia

The first-ever wooden roller coaster will land at the East Coast park when InvadR debuts this spring. The viking-themed attraction, whose name was chosen by fans, will take guests on a journey along 2,000 feet of track at 48 miles per hour, thanks to its signature 74-foot drop.

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Cedar Point

Courtesy of Cedar Point

Sandusky, Ohio

The amusement park heavyweight won’t introduce any coasters in 2017, instead choosing to overhaul its Soak City water park intoCedar Point Shores with an additional two-acre expansion and three new attractions. Point Plummet will feature four simultaneous drop slides, Lakeside Landing will have a full-fledged children’s water play area with twelve mini-slides, and a duo of tube slides dubbed Starboard Surge and Portside Plunge will offer single and double occupancy on their winding journeys.

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SeaWorld Orlando

Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

Orlando, Florida

The park is making its first foray into the world of virtual reality with a significant upgrade to its Kraken coaster, retrofitting the nearly 17-year-old ride with headsets that will immerse the guests deep in the sounds and sights of the sea and its fabled creatures. The floorless steel coaster has seven inversions and a 144-foot drop, making an interaction with its mythical namesake beast that much more intense. The new experience is worthwhile but fully optional—riders can opt out and ride Kraken without the enhancement if they so choose.

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Sea World San Diego

Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

San Diego, California

The park’s newest endeavor isn’t just an attraction; it’s an entire land. When Ocean Explorer Deep Sea Discovery opens this spring, it will bring a fresh mix of technology, rides, and aquariums, as well as dining, a play area, and amusements to a three-acre “realm” at the California park. Kid-friendly pod-like aquariums will allow guests to crawl through and stand beside unique inhabitants such as spider crabs and moray eels, while the main attraction will see them taking a submarine journey as scientific researchers on a mission to solve challenges within the undersea ecosystem.

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SeaWorld San Antonio

Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

San Antonio, Texas

Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coasteraims to replicate the high-stakes experience of animals being rescued at sea with sharp, banked turns across its 2,600 foot-long track, all overlooking the Texan park’s Ski Lake. Helping drive the point home is a revolutionary jet-ski seat that looks just like the real thing, allowing guests to feel the rush of the waves in this hotly anticipated addition to the park.

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Universal Orlando Resort

Courtesy of Universal Orlando

Orlando, Florida

Guests will soon be able to travel to NBC’s famed studios and beyond when Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon opens in the spring, bringing the late night legend’s energy and antics to the park by way of a “flying theatre.” This year will also welcome Volcano Bay,which will go beyond simply replacing Wet ‘n Wild waterpark when it opens in early summer. Billed as Universal Orlando’s “third park,” Volcano Bay will feature a multi-directional wave pool, raft and body slides, and even a digitized ride reservation system, all within 30 immersive acres. Keep your eyes peeled for the debut of Krakatau Aqua Coaster, an innovative ride that dips and drops throughout the park’s namesake 200-foot volcano.

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Six Flags Magic Mountain

Courtesy of Six Flags

Los Angeles, California

Superman, the Flash and Wonder Woman will land at this park in a new way when Justice League Battle For Metropolis 4D brings its explosive effects, life-like action, and a face-to-face encounter with The Joker .The immersive shooter dark ride, which debuted at other Six Flags locations last year to rave reviews, just won the prestigious Best New Ride award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

This attraction will also be coming to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey and Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Six Flags America

Courtesy of Six Flags

Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Both parks will welcome new Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth attractions that boast the same name, but offer wildly different experiences. California’s riders will take on a high-flying spinning pendulum adventure reaching up to 70 miles per hour, while Six Flags America’s iteration will whisk passengers through the air at 40 miles per hour on a sky-high swing ride towering 24 stories above the ground.

The attraction will also be coming to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Sacramento, California.

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Six Flags St. Louis

Courtesy of Six Flags

St. Louis, Missouri

The new year will bring Spinsanity to the St. Louis park, a family friendly attraction that places guests on an oversized spinning disc traveling across a half-pipe track, whirling them in every direction.

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Hersheypark

Courtesy of Hersheypark

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Guests will get a taste for thrills with the new Hershey Triple Tower, which offers a choice between an 80-foot drop on Hershey Kisses tower, a 131-foot plunge on Reese’s Tower, or a staggering 189-foot drop on Hershey Tower, which slingshots riders back to the top before dropping a second time.

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Knott’s Berry Farm

Courtesy of Knott's Berry Farm

Anaheim, California

The amusement park will welcome Sol Spin, a pendulum-like attraction where riders tumble through the sky on one of six spinning arms in 2017. Two new water slide towers will debut at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark when it opens for the season in May as well, offering a total of seven new experiences including free-falling solo rides, dueling tube slides and The Wedge, a family raft ride.

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Kings Island

Courtesy of Kings Island

Mason, Ohio

The favorite among coaster enthusiasts will welcome Mystic Timbers, a wooden roller coaster traveling at 53 miles per hour through Kings Island’s woods. With 16 airtime hills and track that cuts through ravines and over water to tell the tale of nature reclaiming the land surrounding a lumber company, the attraction is slated to be nothing less than intense. Next summer will also bring Tropical Plunge, a five-story tower offering six different waterslide experiences, to its Soak City Waterpark.

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Every New Ride Coming to Amusement Parks in 2017

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